208 



H. GUYFORD STEVER 

 I 920 33RO STREET N. W. 

 WASHINQTON. D. C. 20007 



July 21, 1985 



RECEIVED 



The Honorable Don Fuqua 



Chairman, Committee on Science and Technology ,|j| 29 iJtte 



U.S. House of Representatives 



2321 Rayburn House Office Building COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE 



Washington, D.C. 20515 ^^^ TECHNOLOGY, 



Dear Chairman Fuqua: 



Here are my responses to the questions posed by the members of the Science 

 Policy Task Force to supplement my testimony before the Task Force on June 19, 

 1985. 



Question 1 . Is the NSF considering increased funding of international 

 activities, and if so, would these funds be specifically earmarked for 

 international programs, or be derived from individual programs? 



Though I am no longer privy to all of the considerations by the National 

 Science Board, the Director of the Foundation and his staff, my activities as 

 Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee on International Activities, appointed by the 

 Director, show me that the International Programs, their funding, and other 

 international activities of the Foundation are under serious examination at 

 present. The leaders of the NSF are responding this year to the budget 

 tightening thrusts of the Administration and the Congress, resulting in cuts, 

 which many including me believe too serious, in the budgets for the NSF 

 international programs. These cuts have triggered a complete examination of 

 the efficacy and importance of the programs as well as the organizational 

 framework required for the conduct of the activities. Some reorganization 

 will help, though the complete potential of the NSF in doing its share of the 

 international science and engineering activities needed by the country cannot 

 be realized unless the funding is increased. 



With regard to the choice of international programs per se versus a 

 distribution of support for international activities throughout the normal 

 research granting elements of the Foundation, a mixed strategy seems best. 

 Bilateral science and technology agreements, with their specific requirements 

 of program concentrations and cooperative relationships country to country are 

 usually best supported by a separately funded NSF organizational element. 

 International activity aimed purely at increasing the strength of U.S. 

 sciences is best supported by the disciplinary elements of the NSF. 



